Bicycle



No; 692,8n.

A. G. ANnEnsuN.

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y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDERS G. ANDERSON, OF 1WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDMUNDCONVERSE, OF VVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLE.

srncIFIoATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,811,01ated February1 1, 1902 Application led November 20, 1899. Serial No. 737,721.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern..-

Beit known that I, ANDERS G. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bicycles,of which the following is a speciiication, accompanied by drawingsforming a part of the same, containing a full, clear, and eX- actdescription of my invention.

My invention relates to the construction of the tubular frames ofbicycles, and particularlysto t-he coupling by which the tubular frameknown as the rearbraces, seat-post tube, and the upper strut are joinedtogether; and it consists in certain novel features of construction bywhich the said coupling may be made of sheet metal and its resistance tothe various strains to which it is subjected largely increased, ashereinafter described, and pointed Aout. in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of myimproved coupling with portions of the framework connected theretorepresented in broken lines. Fig. 2 is a top View of myi'mprovedcoupling with the inner dovetailed tube removed. Fig. 3 is a sectionalView on line A A, Fig. 2, with the inserted dovetailed tube shown infull. Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line B B, Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is atop view of the crescent-shaped tie-piece by which the coupling isreinforced, with the parts attached thereto shown in sectional View.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the different figures. y

Referring to the drawings, lines A, B, and C denote, respectively, theupper strut, the central post or diagonal tube, and one of the rearbraces of a bicycle-frame,which are shown as joined together by one ofmy improved couplings D, which is formed from a ,suitablyshapedsheet-metal blank by means of a droppress in the usual and well-knownmanner in making bicycle-fittings of this class, forming a three-pronged sheet-metal coupling, with each of vthe prongs D', D2, and Dsreduced in diameter, forming nipples D4 to receiv the ends of thetubular members A B C of the bicycle-frame, which butt against the (Nomodel.)

shoulders D5 and form a flush joint. The prong D', which receives theupper strut A, and the divergent prongs D2 D3, which receive the rearbraces, are united by and are integral with a tubular center D, in whichis inserted the reduced end E of a short sheetmetal tube E, formed byrolling up a piece of sheet metal having dovetailed edges, which areengaged to form a joint, so that the dovetails E2 upon one edge willinterlock the dovetails E3 upon the opposite edge and unite the edges toform a tube, which will resist an interior strain tending to expand thetube. The

end of the dovetailed tube E projects below the tubular center D. of thecoupling and forms a nipple to receive the central post or diagonal tubeB of the frame and receives the bicycle seat-post, which in manybicycles are held in position by an expanding device applied to theinterior of the seat-,post tube. It is therefore desirable that the tubeE be able to resist interior pressure, which would eX- pand the tube;and I accomplish this result by interlocking the dovetailed edges of theblank to prevent them from being forced apart.

ln forming the coupling D, l make the two divergent prongs D2 D3, wherethey join the central tubular section DG, so that the inner edges F2ofthe abutting sides F F will be Hush with the opening through the centraltubular section D6 in order to bring them in contact with the reducedend E ofthe tube E. Each of the abutting sides F F is notched at F3 toreceive a crescent-shaped tie-piece Gnvhich is likewise notched at G toslip over and inclose the abutting sides F F'. The notch in the tiepieceG locks the two abutting sides F F' together and resists any straintending to separate the divergent prongs D2D3,and the notch in the edgesof the sides F F holds the crescent-shaped tie-piece in position withits concave edge G2 in contact with the reduced end E of the tube E.When the crescent-shaped tie-piece G has been placed in position, the

reduced end E'Vof the tube E 'is inserted in the tubular central portionD6 of the coupling, and all the surfaces in contact with the reduced endE' are brazedtogether, and the completed coupling is then introduced tothe frame by sliding the ends of the connected ICO tubular members A, B,and C over the nipples D4, to which they are brazed. Any tendency toexpand the coupling, Whether by an expanding device such as is commonlyused formaintaining the seat-post in position" or by any of the strainsincident to the use of the bicycle will be resisted both by thedovetailed joint of the inserted tube E and also prongs D2 and D3 withtheir adjacent sides F i and F abutting and provided With notched edgesand a notched tie-piece engaging the notched edges of said abuttingsides, substantially as described.

2. In a bicycle the combination in a coupling of a central tubularportion to receive a seat post tube, a prong D' and divergent prongs D2,D3, their adjacent sides F, F' abutting and provided with notched edges,a notched crescent-shaped tie-piece engaging the notched edges of saidabutting sides, and a tube E having interlocked dovetailed edgesinserted in said central portion and abutting theconcave edge of saidtie-piece, substantiaily as described. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 16th day of October, 1899.

ANDERS G. ANDERSON. Witnesses:

RUFUS B. FoWLER, Avn T. MURPHY.

